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The conceptual replacement of nitrogen with phosphorus in common organic functional groups unlocks new properties and reactivity. The phosphorus-containing analogues of triazenes are underexplored but offer great potential as flexible and small bite-angle ligands. This manuscript explores the synthesis and characterisation of a family of air-stable azophosphine-borane complexes, and their subsequent deprotection to the free azophosphines. These compounds are structurally characterised, both experimentally and computationally, and highlight the availability of the phosphorus lone pair for coordination. This is confirmed by demonstrating that neutral azophosphines can act as ligands in Ru complexes, and can coordinate as monodentate or bidentate ligands in a controlled manner, in contrast to their nitrogen analogues., (© 2024 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Advances in the field of frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) chemistry have led to the discovery of radical pairs, obtained by a single-electron transfer (SET) from the Lewis base to the Lewis acid. Radical pairs are intriguing for their potential to enable cooperative activation of challenging substrates ( e.g. , CH 4 , N 2 ) in a homolytic fashion, as well as the exploration of novel radical reactions. In this review, we will cover the two known mechanisms of SET in FLPs-thermal and photoinduced-along with methods ( i.e. , CV, DFT, UV-vis) to predict the mechanism and to characterise the involved electron donors and acceptors. Furthermore, the available techniques ( i.e. , EPR, UV-vis, transient absorption spectroscopy) for studying the corresponding radical pairs will be discussed. Initially, two model systems (PMes 3 /CPh 3 + and PMes 3 /B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ) will be reviewed to highlight the difference between a thermal and a photoinduced SET mechanism. Additionally, three cases are analysed to provide further tools and insights into characterizing electron donors and acceptors, and the associated radical pairs. Firstly, a thermal SET process between LiHMDS and [TEMPO][BF 4 ] is discussed. Next, the influence of Lewis acid complexation on the electron acceptor will be highlighted to facilitate a SET between ( p BrPh) 3 N and TCNQ. Finally, an analysis of sulfonium salts as electron acceptors will demonstrate how to manage systems with rapidly decomposing radical species. This framework equips the reader with an expanded array of tools for both predicting and characterizing SET events within FLP chemistry, thereby enabling its extension and application to the broader domain of main-group (photo)redox chemistry.

Evasion of apoptosis is critical for the development and growth of tumors. The pro-survival protein myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) is an antiapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, associated with tumor aggressiveness, poor survival, and drug resistance. Development of Mcl-1 inhibitors implies blocking of protein-protein interactions, generally requiring a lengthy optimization process of large, complex molecules. Herein, we describe the use of DNA-encoded chemical library synthesis and screening to directly generate complex, yet conformationally privileged macrocyclic hits that serve as Mcl-1 inhibitors. By applying a conceptual combination of conformational analysis and structure-based design in combination with a robust synthetic platform allowing rapid analoging, we optimized in vitro potency of a lead series into the low nanomolar regime. Additionally, we demonstrate fine-tuning of the physicochemical properties of the macrocyclic compounds, resulting in the identification of lead candidates 57 / 59 with a balanced profile, which are suitable for future development toward therapeutic use.

Herein, we present the formation of transient radical ion pairs (RIPs) by single-electron transfer (SET) in phosphine-quinone systems and explore their potential for the activation of C-H bonds. PMes 3 (Mes=2,4,6-Me 3 C 6 H 2 ) reacts with DDQ (2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone) with formation of the P-O bonded zwitterionic adduct Mes 3 P-DDQ (1), while the reaction with the sterically more crowded PTip 3 (Tip=2,4,6-iPr 3 C 6 H 2 ) afforded C-H bond activation product Tip 2 P(H)(2-[CMe 2 (DDQ)]-4,6-iPr 2 -C 6 H 2 ) (2). UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopic studies showed that the latter reaction proceeds via initial SET, forming RIP [PTip 3 ]⋅ + [DDQ]⋅ - , and subsequent homolytic C-H bond activation, which was supported by DFT calculations. The isolation of analogous products, Tip 2 P(H)(2-[CMe 2 {TCQ-B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 }]-4,6-iPr 2 -C 6 H 2 ) (4, TCQ=tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone) and Tip 2 P(H)(2-[CMe 2 {oQ tBu -B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 }]-4,6-iPr 2 -C 6 H 2 ) (8, oQ tBu =3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone), from reactions of PTip 3 with Lewis-acid activated quinones, TCQ-B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 and oQ tBu -B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 , respectively, further supports the proposed radical mechanism. As such, this study presents key mechanistic insights into the homolytic C-H bond activation by the synergistic action of radical ion pairs., (© 2023 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Bio-based fertilizers (BBFs) have the potential to contain both pesticides and pharmaceutical residues, which may pose a threat to soils, crops, and human health. However, no analytical screening method is available currently to simultaneously analyze a wide range of contaminants in the complex origin-dependent matrices of BBFs. To fill this gap, our study tested and improved an original QuEChERS method (OQM) for simultaneously analyzing 78 pesticides and 18 pharmaceuticals in BBFs of animal, plant, and ashed sewage sludge origin. In spiked recovery experiments, 34-58 pharmaceuticals and pesticides were well recovered (recovery of 70-120%) via OQM at spiking concentrations levels of 10 ng/g and 50 ng/g in these three different types of BBFs. To improve the extraction efficiency further, ultrasonication and end-over-end rotation were added based on OQM, resulting in the improved QuEChERS method (IQM) that could recover 57-79 pesticides and pharmaceuticals, in the range of 70-120%. The detection limits of this method were of 0.16-4.32/0.48-12.97 ng/g, 0.03-11.02/0.10-33.06 ng/g, and 0.06-5.18/0.18-15.54 ng/g for animal, plant, and ash-based BBF, respectively. Finally, the IQM was employed to screen 15 BBF samples of various origins. 15 BBFs contained at least one pesticide or pharmaceutical with ibuprofen being frequently detected in at concentration levels of 4.1-181 ng/g. No compounds were detected in ash-based BBFs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Yan Dong reports financial support was provided by European Union. Yan Dong reports financial support was provided by Chinese Scholarship Council., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The activation and utilization of substrates mediated by Frustrated Lewis Pairs (FLPs) was initially believed to occur solely via a two-electron, cooperative mechanism. More recently, the occurrence of a single-electron transfer (SET) from the Lewis base to the Lewis acid was observed, indicating that mechanisms that proceed via one-electron-transfer processes are also feasible. As such, SET in FLP systems leads to the formation of radical ion pairs, which have recently been more frequently observed. In this review, we aim to discuss the seminal findings regarding the recently established insights into the SET processes in FLP chemistry as well as highlight examples of this radical formation process. In addition, applications of reported main group radicals will also be reviewed and discussed in the context of the understanding of SET processes in FLP systems.

Persistency of chemicals in the environment is seen a pressing issue as it results in accumulation of chemicals over time. Persistent chemicals can be an asset in a well-functioning circular economy where products are more durable and can be reused or recycled. This objective can however not always be fulfilled as release of chemicals from products into the environment can be inherently coupled to their use. In these situations, chemicals should be designed for degradation. In this study, a systematic and computer-aided workflow was developed to facilitate the chemical redesign for reduced persistency. The approach includes elements of Essential Use, Alternatives Assessment and Green and Circular Chemistry and ties into goals recently formulated in the context of the EU Green Deal. The organophosphate chemical triisobutylphosphate (TiBP) was used as a case study for exploration of the approach, as its emission to the environment was expected to be inevitable when used as a flame retardant. Over 6.3 million alternative structures were created in silico and filtered based on QSAR outputs to remove potentially non-readily biodegradable structures. With a multi-criteria analysis based on predicted properties and synthesizability a top 500 of most desirable structures was identified. The target structure (di-n-butyl (2-hydroxyethyl) phosphate) was manually selected and synthesized. The approach can be expanded and further verified to reach its full potential in the mitigation of chemical pollution and to help enable a safe circular economy., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Novel seven-membered cyclic imine-based 1,3-P,N ligands were obtained by capturing a Beckmann nitrilium ion intermediate generated in situ from cyclohexanone with benzotriazole, and then displacing it by a secondary phosphane under triflic acid promotion. These "cycloiminophosphanes" possess flexible non-isomerizable tetrahydroazepine rings with a high basicity; this sets them apart from previously reported iminophophanes. The donor strength of the ligands was investigated by using their P-κ 1 - and P,N-κ 2 -tungsten(0) carbonyl complexes, by determining the IR frequency of the trans-CO ligands. Complexes with [RhCp*Cl 2 ] 2 demonstrated the hemilability of the ligands, giving a dynamic equilibrium of κ 1 and κ 2 species; treatment with AgOTf gives full conversion to the κ 2 complex. The potential for catalysis was shown in the Ru II -catalyzed, solvent-free hydration of benzonitrile and the Ru II - and Ir I -catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of cyclohexanone in isopropanol. Finally, to enable access to asymmetric catalysts, chiral cycloiminophosphanes were prepared from l-menthone, as well as their P,N-κ 2 -Rh III and a P-κ 1 -Ru II complexes., (© 2021 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

There is a clear and pressing need to better manage our planet's resources. Phosphorus is a crucial element for life, but the natural phosphorus cycle has been perturbed to such an extent that humanity faces two dovetailing problems: the dwindling supply of phosphate rock as a resource, and the overabundance of phosphate in water systems leading to eutrophication. This Tutorial Review will explore the current routes to industrial phosphorus compounds, and innovative academic routes towards accessing these same products in a more sustainable manner. It will then describe the many ways that useful phosphate can be recovered from waste streams, and how it can be recycled and used as a resource for new products. Finally, we will briefly discuss the barriers that have thus far prevented the widespread adoption of these technologies, and how we can close the loop to establish a modern phosphorus cycle.

In this paper, we highlight the synthesis of a variety of primary phosphine-boranes (RPH 2 ⋅BH 3 ) from the corresponding dichlorophosphines, simply by using Li[BH 4 ] as reductant and provider of the BH 3 protecting group. The method offers facile access not only to alkyl- and arylphosphine-boranes, but also to aminophosphine-boranes (R 2 NPH 2 ⋅BH 3 ) that are convenient building blocks but without the protecting BH 3 moiety thermally labile and notoriously difficult to handle. The borane-protected primary phosphines can be doubly deprotonated using n-butyllithium to provide soluble phosphanediides Li 2 [RP⋅BH 3 ] of which the phenyl-derivative Li 2 [PhP⋅BH 3 ] was structurally characterized in the solid state., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are well known for their ability to activate small molecules. Recent reports of radical formation within such systems indicate single-electron transfer (SET) could play an important role in their chemistry. Herein, we investigate radical formation upon reacting FLP systems with dihydrogen, triphenyltin hydride, or tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone (TCQ) both experimentally and computationally to determine the nature of the single-electron transfer (SET) events; that is, being direct SET to B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 or not. The reactions of H 2 and Ph 3 SnH with archetypal P/B FLP systems do not proceed via a radical mechanism. In contrast, reaction with TCQ proceeds via SET, which is only feasible by Lewis acid coordination to the substrate. Furthermore, SET from the Lewis base to the Lewis acid-substrate adduct may be prevalent in other reported examples of radical FLP chemistry, which provides important design principles for radical main-group chemistry., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

This critical review summarizes the occurrence of 63 novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in indoor air, dust, consumer goods and food. It includes their EU registration and (potential) risks. The increasing application of NBFRs calls for more research on their occurrence, environmental fate and toxicity. This review reports which NBFRs are actually being studied, which are detected and which are of most concern. It also connects data from the European Chemical Association on NBFRs with other scientific information. Large knowledge gaps emerged for 28 (out of 63) NBFRs, which were not included in any monitoring programs or other studies. This also indicates the need for optimized analytical methods including all NBFRs. Further research on indoor environments, emission sources and potential leaching is also necessary. High concentrations of 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB), bis(2-ethylhexyl)tetrabromophthalate (BEH-TEBP), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) were often reported. The detection of hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromotoluene (PBT), 1,4-dimethyltetrabromobenzene (TBX), 4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)-1,2-dibromocyclohexane (DBE-DBCH) and tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2,3-dibromopropyl) ether (TBBPA-BDBPE) also raises concern., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Archetypal phosphine/borane frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are famed for their ability to activate small molecules. The mechanism is generally believed to involve two-electron processes. However, the detection of radical intermediates indicates that single-electron transfer (SET) generating frustrated radical pairs could also play an important role. These highly reactive radical species typically have significantly higher energy than the FLP, which prompted this investigation into their formation. Herein, we provide evidence that the classical phosphine/borane combinations PMes 3 /B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 and PtBu 3 /B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 both form an electron donor-acceptor (charge-transfer) complex that undergoes visible-light-induced SET to form the corresponding highly reactive radical-ion pairs. Subsequently, we show that by tuning the properties of the Lewis acid/base pair, the energy required for SET can be reduced to become thermally accessible., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.)

P-yramids: Tetrahedranes are highly strained molecules, and the all-carbon (CtBu) 4 and all-phosphorus species P 4 have been known for decades and centuries, respectively. Despite this, the mixed P/C tetrahedranes were unknown until recently when the syntheses of the phosphatetrahedranes P(CtBu) 3 and P 2 (CtBu) 2 were reported by the research groups of Cummins and Wolf., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Invited for the cover of this issue are the groups of Ruth M. Gschwind and Robert Wolf (University of Regensburg), Christian Müller (Freie Universität Berlin), and J. Chris Slootweg (University of Amsterdam). The image depicts playing cards representing the reported reactions involving 1-phospha-7-bora-norbornadiene. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.202000266., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Salt metathesis of 1-methyl-2,4,6-triphenylphosphacyclohexadienyl lithium and chlorobis(pentafluorophenyl)borane affords a 1-phospha-7-bora-norbornadiene derivative 2. The C≡N triple bonds of nitriles insert into the P-B bond of 2 with concomitant C-B bond cleavage, whereas the C≡C bonds of phenylacetylenes react with 2 to form λ 4 -phosphabarrelenes. Even though 2 must formally be regarded as a classical Lewis adduct, the C≡N and C≡C activation processes observed (and the mild conditions under which they occur) are reminiscent of the reactivity of frustrated Lewis pairs. Indeed, NMR and computational studies give insight into the mechanism of the reactions and reveal the labile nature of the phosphorus-boron bond in 2, which is also suggested by detailed NMR spectroscopic studies on this compound. Nitrile insertion is thus preceded by ring opening of the bicycle of 2 through P-B bond splitting with a low energy barrier. By contrast, the reaction with alkynes involves formation of a reactive zwitterionic methylphosphininium borate intermediate, which readily undergoes alkyne 1,4-addition., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.)

The [4+2] cycloaddition of 2-(2'-pyridyl)-4,6-diphenyl-λ 3 -phosphinine with the highly reactive dienophile hexafluoro-2-butyne has been studied and the first pyridyl-functionalized 1-phosphabarrelene was obtained and structurally characterized. Although monodentate CF 3 -1-phosphabarrelenes show only a poor coordination ability, the chelating nature of the novel P,N-hybrid ligand gives access to various transition-metal complexes. Upon irradiation with UV light, the pyridyl-functionalized 1-phosphabarrelene undergoes a rather selective di-π-methane rearrangement in the coordination sphere of the metal center, leading to the formation of a complex based on a hitherto unknown pyridyl-functionalized 5-phosphasemibullvalene derivative. DFT calculations provide first insights into the mechanism of this reaction., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Cell-targeting peptides (CTPs) are increasingly used in the field of cancer research due to their high affinity and specificity to cell or tissue targets. In the search for novel metal-based drug candidates, our research group is particularly focused on bioconjugates by utilizing peptides to increase the selectivity of cytotoxic organometallic compounds. Motivated by the relatively high cytotoxic activity of gold complexes, such as Auranofin (approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis), for the treatment of various diseases, we anticipated that gold peptide bioconjugates would present interesting candidates for novel breast cancer therapies. For this, we investigate the use of the natural compound lipoic acid (Lpa) as a bioconjugation handle to link Au complexes in the oxidation state +III to peptides using the dithiol moiety. Using this strategy, we have synthesized Au(III) complex bioconjugates linked to the linear LTVSPWY peptide and two cyclic DfKRG and KTTHWGFTLG tumor-targeting peptides. Solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) was used to prepare the peptides, with lipoic acid introduced N-terminally as a conjugation handle. After peptide cleavage, the metal complex was introduced in solution by first reducing the internal disulfide bond, followed by reaction with Au(ppy)Cl 2 ( 1 , ppy: 2-phenyl-pyridine), to yield the Au(III)-Lpa-peptide bioconjugates. The new bioconjugates were successfully synthesized, purified by semi-preparative HPLC, and characterized by ESI-MS. Au(III)-peptide bioconjugates were tested as cytotoxic agents against two different human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and normal human fibroblasts cells (GM5657T) and compared to cisplatin, the parent Au(III) dichloride complex, and metal-free peptides. These in vitro data show that the Au(III)-peptide bioconjugate 5 , possessing the cyclic integrin-targeting RGD-derived peptide sequence in the structure, exhibits improved activity compared to the parent gold(III) compound Au(ppy)Cl 2 ( 1 ) as well as to cisplatin or the metal-free peptide. Moreover, the excellent targeting properties of 5 are supported by the fact that a Au(III)-peptide conjugate with the exact same peptide sequence, but a linear rather than the cyclic form of 5 exhibits 10 times lower cytotoxic activity.

The geminal frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) tBu 2 PCH 2 BPh 2 (1) reacts with phenyl-, mesityl-, and tert-butyl azide affording, respectively, six, five, and four-membered rings as isolable products. DFT calculations revealed that the formation of all products proceeds via the six-membered ring structure, which is thermally stable with an N-phenyl group, but rearranges when sterically more encumbered Mes-N 3 and tBu-N 3 are used. The reaction of 1 with Me 3 Si-N 3 is believed to follow the same course, yet subsequent N 2 elimination occurs to afford a four-membered heterocycle (5), which can be considered as a formal FLP-trimethylsilylnitrene adduct. Compound 5 reacts with hydrochloric acid or tetramethylammonium fluoride and showed frustrated Lewis pair reactivity towards phenylisocyanate., (© 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.)

Amine-boranes have gained a lot of attention due to their potential as hydrogen storage materials and their capacity to act as precursors for transfer hydrogenation. Therefore, a lot of effort has gone into the development of suitable transition- and main-group metal catalysts for the dehydrogenation of amine-boranes. During the past decade, new systems started to emerge solely based on p-block elements that promote the dehydrogenation of amine-boranes through hydrogen-transfer reactions, polymerization initiation, and main-group catalysis. In this review, we highlight the development of these p-block based systems for stoichiometric and catalytic amine-borane dehydrogenation and discuss the underlying mechanisms., (© 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.)

A series of substituted phosphinines, 1-phosphabarrelenes and 5-phosphasemibullvalenes were synthesized and evaluated for their potential application as ligands in homogeneous catalytic reactions. While their buried volume (%V bur ) was calculated to get insight into the steric properties, [LNi(CO) 3 ] complexes were prepared in order to determine the corresponding Tolman electronic parameter. ETS-NOCV (extended-transition-state natural orbital for chemical valence) calculations on [LAuCl] complexes further allowed an estimation of the σ- and π-contributions to the L-M interaction. Au I coordination compounds of selected examples were prepared and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Finally, the three classes of P III compounds were successfully used in the Au I -catalyzed cycloisomerization of N-2-propyn-1-ylbenzamide, showing very good activities and selectivities, which are comparable with the reported data of cationic phosphorus-based gold catalysts., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We herein explore whether tris(aryl)borane Lewis acids are capable of cleaving H 2 outside of the usual Lewis acid/base chemistry described by the concept of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs). Instead of a Lewis base we use a chemical reductant to generate stable radical anions of two highly hindered boranes: tris(3,5-dinitromesityl)borane and tris(mesityl)borane. NMR spectroscopic characterization reveals that the corresponding borane radical anions activate (cleave) dihydrogen, whilst EPR spectroscopic characterization, supported by computational analysis, reveals the intermediates along the hydrogen activation pathway. This radical-based, redox pathway involves the homolytic cleavage of H 2 , in contrast to conventional models of FLP chemistry, which invoke a heterolytic cleavage pathway. This represents a new mode of chemical reactivity for hydrogen activation by borane Lewis acids., (© 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.)

Metal ligand cooperativity (MLC) and frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) chemistry both feature the cooperative action of a Lewis acidic and a Lewis basic site on a substrate. A lot of work has been carried out in the field of FLPs to prevent Lewis adduct formation, which often reduces the FLP reactivity. Parallels are drawn between the two systems by looking at their reactivity with CO 2 , and we explore the role of steric bulk in preventing dimer formation in MLC systems.

Chirality at the central element of pentacoordinate systems can be controlled with two identical bidentate ligands. In such cases the topological Levi-Desargues graph for all the Berry pseudorotations (BPR, max. 20) reduces to interconnected inner and outer "circles" that represent the dynamic enantiomer pair. High enough barriers of the BPR crossovers between the two circles is all what is needed to ascertain chiral integrity. This is illustrated computationally and experimentally for the organosilicates 7 and 10 that carry besides a Me (a), Et (b), Ph (c), or F (d) group two bidentate 2-(phenyl)benzo[ b]-thiophene or 2-(phenyl)naphthyl ligands, respectively. The enantiomers of tetraorganosilane precursor 9 could be separated by column chromatography. Their chiral integrity persisted on forming the silicates. CD spectra are reported for 10c. Fluoro derivative 10d is shown to have its electronegative F substituent in an equatorial position, is stable toward hydrolysis, and its enantiomers do not racemize at ambient temperatures, while those of 10c racemize slowly.

Inspired by the commercially available azoimidazolium dyes (e.g., Basic Red 51) that can be obtained from aryldiazonium salts and N-heterocyclic carbenes, we developed the synthesis of a unique set of arylazophosphonium salts. A range of colours were obtained by applying readily tuneable phosphine donor ligands and para-substituted aryldiazonium salts as nitrogen-based Lewis acids. With cyclic voltammetry, a general procedure was designed to establish whether the reaction between a Lewis acid and a Lewis base occurs by single-electron transfer or electron-pair transfer., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Treatment of the preorganized frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) tBu 2 PCH 2 BPh 2 (1) and o-Ph 2 P(C 6 H 4 )BCat (Cat=catechol) (4) with 2-methyloxirane, 2-phenyloxirane and 2-(trifluoromethyl)oxirane resulted in epoxide ring-opening to yield the six- and seven-membered heterocycles 2 a-c and 5 a-c, respectively. These zwitterionic products were characterized spectroscopically, and compounds 2 a, 2 b, 5 a and 5 c were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure analyses. Based on computational and kinetic studies, the mechanism of these reactions was found to proceed via activation of the epoxide by the Lewis acidic borane moiety followed by nucleophilic attack of the phosphine of a second FLP molecule. The resulting chain-like intermediates afford the final cyclic products by ring-closure and concurrent release of the second equivalent of FLP that behaves as catalyst in this reaction., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Avoiding white phosphorus: Cummins and Geeson have recently described the conversion of phosphoric acid into the novel bis(trichlorosilyl)phosphide anion, which serves as a key intermediate in the synthesis of organophosphines, hexafluorophosphate, and phosphine gas in a reaction sequence that does not rely on white phosphorus., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

In this work, we explored the coordination properties of the geminal phosphinoborane t Bu 2 PCH 2 BPh 2 ( 2 ) toward different gold(I) precursors. The reaction of 2 with an equimolar amount of the sulfur-based complex (Me 2 S)AuCl resulted in displacement of the SMe 2 ligand and formation of linear phosphine gold(I) chloride 3 . Using an excess of ligand 2 , bisligated complex 4 was formed and showed dynamic behavior at room temperature. Changing the gold(I) metal precursor to the phosphorus-based complex, (Ph 3 P)AuCl impacted the coordination behavior of ligand 2 . Namely, the reaction of ligand 2 with (Ph 3 P)AuCl led to the heterolytic cleavage of the gold-chloride bond, which is favored over PPh 3 ligand displacement. To the best of our knowledge, 2 is the first example of a P/B-ambiphilic ligand capable of cleaving the gold-chloride bond. The coordination chemistry of 2 was further analyzed by density functional theory calculations., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Struvite precipitation is a well-documented method for recovering up to 98% of phosphorus from urine, which is one of the main nutrients in fertilizers besides nitrogen and potassium. Shortcomings of this process, however, are the low nitrogen recovery ratio and the possible uptake of pharmaceuticals from urine. In this work, the NH 4 + adsorbent materials biochar and zeolite are coupled with struvite precipitation to increase the N-recovery of struvite from 5.7% to 9.8%. Since nitrogen is one of the main nutrients in fertilisers, this increase is of significance for its potential commercial use. In addition, urine is spiked with pharmaceuticals to measure the consequential uptake in struvite-based fertilisers and crops afterwards. Five fertilisers are prepared by nutrient recovery from spiked urine using: (1) struvite crystallisation, (2) struvite crystallisation combined with N adsorption on zeolite, (3) struvite crystallisation combined with N adsorption on biochar, (4) N adsorption on zeolite without struvite crystallisation, and (5) N adsorption on biochar without struvite crystallisation. The fertiliser with the highest purity product and the lowest uptake of pharmaceuticals was struvite combined with zeolite. Next, the contaminated struvite-sorbent fertilisers are tested in a crop trial in which the bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals in edible plant tissue (tomatoes) is measured. This bioaccumulation in tomato fruit biomass from each of the spiked fertilisers in the crop trial was found to be lower than 0.0003% in all cases, far below the acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels (750 kg of dry tomatoes should be consumed per day to reach the ADI limit). Consequently, the subsequent risk to human health from tomato fruit grown using urine derived struvite-sorbent fertilisers is found to be insignificant., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The phosphorus analogues of cyclopentadienone, tricyclopentanone, and housene were accessed from bis(cyclopropenyl)diphosphetanedione 3, which was prepared by mixing 1,2,3-tris-tert-butylcyclopropenium tetrafluoroborate (1) and sodium phosphaethynolate [Na(OCP)(dioxane) n ]. While photolysis of 3 results in decarbonylation, yielding bis(cyclopropenyl)diphosphene 4 and after rearrangement diphosphahousene 5, thermolysis of 3 leads to phosphatricyclo[2.1.0.0]pentanone 7. Metal-mediated valence isomerization of 7 and subsequent demetalation provides access to phosphacyclopentadienone 12., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Introducing chiral silicon centers was explored for the asymmetric Rh-catalyzed cyclization of dihydrosilanes to enantiomerically enriched spirosilanes as targets to enable access to enantiostable pentacoordinate silicates. The steric rigidity required in such systems demands the presence of two naphthyl or benzo[b]thiophene groups. The synthetic approach to the expanded spirosilanes extends Takai's method (Kuninobu et al. in Angew Chem Int Ed 52(5):1520-1522, 2013) for the synthesis of spirosilabifluorenes in which both a Si-H and a C-H bond of a dihydrosilane are activated by a rhodium catalyst. The expanded dihydrosilanes were obtained from halogenated aromatic precursors. Their asymmetric cyclization to the spirosilanes were conducted with [Rh(cod)Cl] 2 in the presence of the chiral bidentate phosphane ligands (R)-BINAP, (R)-MeO-BIPHEP, and (R)-SEGPHOS, including derivatives with P-(3,5-t-Bu-4-MeO)-phenyl (DTBM) groups. The highest enantiomeric excess of 84% was obtained for 11,11'-spirobi[benzo[b]-naphtho[2,1-d]silole] with the DTBM-SEGPHOS ligand.

The reactivity of the geminal phosphinoborane tBu 2 PCH 2 BPh 2 towards terminal alkynes, nitriles and nitrilium salts is investigated. Terminal alkynes react via C-H bond splitting (deprotonation) resulting in the formation of phosphonium borates. In contrast, both nitriles and nitrilium salts undergo addition reactions resulting in the formation of five-membered heterocycles. All compounds were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray structure determinations. Insight into the reaction mechanisms was gained by DFT calculations.

Research on chlorine-free conversions of P 4 into organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) has a long track record, but methods that allow desirable, direct P-C bond formations have only recently emerged. These include the use of metal organyls, carbenes, carboradicals, and photochemical approaches. The versatile product scope enables the preparation of both industrially relevant organophosphorus compounds, as well as a broad range of intriguing new compound classes. Herein we provide a concise overview of recent breakthroughs and outline the acquired fundamental insights to aid future developments., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Phosphinidenes [R-P] are convenient P 1 building blocks for the synthesis of a plethora of organophosphorus compounds. Thus far, transition-metal-complexed phosphinidenes have been used for their singlet ground-state reactivity to promote selective addition and insertion reactions. One disadvantage of this approach is that after transfer of the P 1 moiety to the substrate, a challenging demetallation step is required to provide the free phosphine. We report a simple method that enables the Lewis acid promoted transfer of phenylphosphinidene, [PhP], from NHC=PPh adducts (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene) to various substrates to produce directly uncoordinated phosphorus heterocycles that are difficult to obtain otherwise., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The development of selective functionalization strategies of white phosphorus (P 4 ) is important to avoid the current chlorinated intermediates. The use of transition metals (TMs) could lead to catalytic procedures, but these are severely hampered by the high reactivity and unpredictable nature of the tetrahedron. Herein, we report selective first steps by reacting P 4 with a metal anion [Cp*Fe(CO) 2 ] - (Cp*=C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 ), which, in the presence of bulky Lewis acids (LA; B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 or BPh 3 ), leads to unique TM-substituted LA-stabilized bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutanide anions [Cp*Fe(CO) 2 (η 1 -P 4 ⋅LA)] - . Their P-nucleophilic site can be subsequently protonated to afford the transient LA-free neutral butterflies exo , endo - and exo , exo -Cp*Fe- (CO) 2 (η 1 -P 4 H), allowing controllable stepwise metalate-mediated functionalization of P 4 .

Highly stable iminophosphanes, obtained from alkylating nitriles and reaction of the resulting nitrilium ions with secondary phosphanes, were explored as tunable P-monodentate and 1,3-P,N bidentate ligands in rhodium complexes. X-ray crystal structures are reported for both κ 1 and κ 2 complexes with the counterion in one of them being an unusual anionic coordination polymer of silver triflate. The iminophosphane-based ruthenium(II)-catalyzed hydration of benzonitrile in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (180 °C, 3 h) and water (100 °C, 24 h) and under solvent free conditions (180 °C, 3 h) results in all cases in the selective formation of benzamide with yields of up to 96%, thereby outperforming by far the reactions in which the common 2-pyridyldiphenylphosphane is used as the 1,3-P,N ligand.

Two [3+1] fragmentations of the Lewis acid stabilized bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutanide Li[Mes*P 4 ⋅ BPh 3 ] (Mes*=2,4,6-tBu 3 C 6 H 2 ) are reported. The reactions proceed by extrusion of a P 1 fragment, induced by either an imidazolium salt or phenylisocyanate, with release of the transient triphosphirene Mes*P 3 , which was isolated as a dimer and trapped by 1,3-cyclohexadiene as a Diels-Alder adduct. DFT quantum chemical computations were used to delineate the reaction mechanisms. These unprecedented pathways grant access to both P 1 - and P 3 -containing organophosphorus compounds in two simple steps from white phosphorus., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The anionic tris(pyrazolyl)borates, or scorpionates, have proven to be extremely useful ligands. Neutral tris(pyrazolyl)methane ligands, however, are difficult to prepare and require numerous purification steps for a number of substitution patterns. We have previously outlined two different routes for accessing neutral tris(pyrazolyl) ligands. We describe here an adaptation of the previously published procedures for the synthesis of the electron-poor ligand tris(3,4,5-tribromopyrazol-1-yl)phosphine oxide, C 9 Br 9 N 6 OP. Similar electron-deficient ligands have been proven to unlock unique chemistry for the anionic scorpionates. The title perbrominated tris(pyrazolyl)phosphine oxide displays a network of halogen bonds in the solid state. All the bonds in the pyrazole ring are rather similar to the reported borate analogues, which makes this molecule promising as a ligand for applications where very electron-poor metal complexes are required.

Reaction of the geminal PAl ligand [Mes2PC(═CHPh)AltBu2] (1) with [Pt(PPh3)2(ethylene)] affords the T-shape Pt complex [(1)Pt(PPh3)] (2). X-ray diffraction analysis and DFT calculations reveal the presence of a significant Pt→Al interaction in 2, despite the strain associated with the four-membered cyclic structure. The Pt···Al distance is short [2.561(1) Å], the Al center is in a pyramidal environment [Σ(C-Al-C) = 346.6°], and the PCAl framework is strongly bent (98.3°). Release of the ring strain and formation of X→Al interactions (X = O, S, H) impart rich reactivity. Complex 2 reacts with CO2 to give the T-shape adduct 3 stabilized by an O→Al interaction, which is a rare example of a CO2 adduct of a group 10 metal and actually the first with η(1)-CO2 coordination. Reaction of 2 with CS2 affords the crystalline complex 4, in which the PPtP framework is bent, the CS2 molecule is η(2)-coordinated to Pt, and one S atom interacts with Al. The Pt complex 2 also smoothly reacts with H2 and benzamide PhCONH2 via oxidative addition of H-H and H-N bonds, respectively. The ensuing complexes 5 and 7 are stabilized by Pt-H→Al and Pt-NH-C(Ph) = O→Al bridging interactions, resulting in 5- and 7-membered metallacycles, respectively. DFT calculations have been performed in parallel with the experimental work. In particular, the mechanism of reaction of 2 with H2 has been thoroughly analyzed, and the role of the Lewis acid moiety has been delineated. These results generalize the concept of constrained geometry TM→LA interactions and demonstrate the ability of Al-based ambiphilic ligands to participate in TM/LA cooperative reactivity. They extend the scope of small molecule substrates prone to such cooperative activation and contribute to improve our knowledge of the underlying factors.

Selective functionalization of white phosphorus is achieved by addition of ArLi to unique cationic coinage metal η(2)-P4 complexes. This novel approach allows controlled P-C bond formation using the bulky DmpLi (Dmp = 2,6-Mes2C6H3) and the unencumbered MesLi, giving sterically diverse doubly complexed RP4 butterfly derivatives in a single step.

The parent tris(pyrazolyl)phosphine and its 3,5-Me2, 3-Ph, and 3-t-Bu derivatives have been prepared by a simple procedure and show modest Lewis basicity of the phosphorus apex as was established by the magnitude of the (1)JP,Se coupling constant of the phosphine selenides. Because of the chelating properties of both the N- and P-sites, neutral phosphorus-centered scorpion ligands allow coordination modes that are unavailable to the abundantly used anionic tris(pyrazolyl)borate scorpionates as we established for Cu(I)-complexation. The substituted P-scorpion ligands only allow for N-coordination, as the P-apex is presumably less accessible. Two X-ray crystal structures were obtained for the Cu-complex of tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)-phosphine with acetonitrile and triphenylphosphine in the fourth coordination site. The parent P-scorpion ligand can chelate with both its pyrazolyl groups and its P-apex with the product depending on the ratio in which it is mixed with the Cu(I) complex. Reacting two equivalents of the ligand with [Cu(MeCN)4][PF6] resulted in a complex in which Cu is coordinated to the three pyrazolyl groups of one ligand and to the P-apex of the other ligand as confirmed by an X-ray crystal structure determination and a DFT computational analysis. Reacting the ligand and the Cu(I) complex in an equimolar ratio resulted in a remarkable one-dimensional P-scorpion coordination polymer for which a single crystal X-ray structure could be determined. A detailed analysis of the structural features is presented.

A comprehensive theoretical treatment is presented for the electronic excitation spectra of ca. 50 different mono-, di-, and tetrasubstituted naphthalenediimides (NDI) using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) at ZORA-CAM-B3LYP/TZ2P//ZORA-BP86/TZ2P with COSMO for simulating the effect of dichloromethane (DCM) solution. The substituents -XHn are from groups 14-17 and rows 2-5 of the periodic table. The lowest dipole-allowed singlet excitation (S0 -S1 ) of the monosubstituted NDIs can be tuned from 3.39 eV for -F to 2.42 eV for -TeH, while the S0 -S2 transition is less sensitive to substitution with energies ranging between 3.67 eV for -CH3 and 3.44 eV for -SbH2 . In the case of NDIs with group-15 and -16 substituents, the optical transitions strongly depend on the extent to which -XHn is planar or pyramidal as well as on the possible formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The accumulative effect of double and quadruple substitution leads in general to increasing bathochromic shifts, but the increased steric hindrance in tetrasubstituted NDIs can lead to deformations that diminish the effectiveness of the substituents. Detailed analyses of the Kohn-Sham orbital electronic structure in monosubstituted NDIs reveal the mesomeric destabilization of the HOMO as the primary cause of the bathochromic shift of the S0-S1 transition., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The transient bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutane anion, generated from white phosphorus (P4) and Mes*Li (Mes*=2,4,6-tBu3C6H2), can be trapped by BPh3 in THF. This Lewis acid stabilized anion can be used as an [RP4](-) transfer agent, reacting cleanly with neutral Lewis acids (B(C6F5)3, BH3, and W(CO)5) to afford unique singly and doubly coordinated butterfly anions, and with the trityl cation to form a neutral, nonsymmetrical, all-carbon-substituted P4  derivative. This reaction path enables a simple, stepwise functionalization of white phosphorus., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Iminophosphanes are a new group of 1,3-P,N-ligands, readily obtainable from secondary phosphanes and nitrilium ions, having a tunable N-donor site by means of varying the imine substituents. These ligands give, in high yields, monodentate gold complexes and bidentate rhodium and iridium complexes. Crystal structures are reported for both the ligands and the complexes., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Herein the synthesis of two nisin AB dicarba analogs is described, focusing on amino acid modifications at positions 2 and 5. The nisin mimics were synthesized by a combination of solid phase synthesis of the linear peptides, followed by macrocyclization via ring-closing metathesis and fragment assembly by means of solution phase chemistry. The two N-terminal nisin AB-fragment mimics contain either the native dehydrobutyrine (Dhb)/dehydroalanine (Dha) amino acid residues or alanine at position 2 and 5, respectively. The native dehydrobutyrine at position 2 and dehydroalanine at position 5 were introduced as their precursors, namely threonine and serine, respectively, and subsequent dehydration was carried out by EDCI/CuCl as the condensing agent. Both AB-fragment mimics were analyzed in a lipid II binding assay and it was found that the Ala2/Ala5 AB-mimic (2) showed a reduced activity, while the Dhb2/Dha5 AB-mimic (3) was as active as the native AB-fragment (1).

A simple and efficient methodology is presented for the synthesis of a wide range of substituted imines. It is based on stabilizing readily available, but thermally labile, N-alkylnitrilium triflates with pyridine or DMAP to moderately air-stable adducts. These base-stabilized imine synthons react conveniently with phosphorus- and nitrogen-based nucleophiles to amidines and phosphaamidines.

Hitherto unknown Au→Al interactions have been evidenced upon coordination of the geminal phosphorus-aluminum Lewis pair Mes2 PC(=CHPh)AltBu2 (Mes=2,4,6-trimethylphenyl). Four different gold(I) complexes featuring alkyl (Me), aryl (Ph, C6F5), and alkynyl (C≡CPh) co-ligands have been prepared. X-ray diffraction analyses show that P→Au→Al bridging coordination induces noticeable bending of the ligand (the PCAl bond angle shrinks by 13°). This new type of transition metal→Lewis acid interaction has been analyzed by DFT calculations., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)